Compléments du titre de la collection

Mention de responsabilité relative à la collection

Numérotation à l'intérieur de la collection

Note sur la collection

Zone de la description archivistique

Nom du producteur

Notice biographique

Marion Meadmore (née Ironquill) grew up on a farm located on Pepeekesis, Saskatchewan. Meadmore is a member of the Cree nation from Saskatchewan and a Residential School Survivor. She later moved to Winnipeg once she got accepted into a pre-medicine course at the University of Manitoba. Meadmore later became an activist, dedicating herself to build a number of local and national organizations that assisted the Indigenous community in a variety of ways.

On June 1958, the Indian and Métis Conference, sponsored by the Community Welfare Planning Council of Greater Winnipeg, made a resolution to establish a referral service for Indian and Métis people. The referral service was to provide guidance and counselling on matters of employment, housing, education, health and other community services. Grants to establish the organization came from three sources: The Winnipeg Foundation, the Manitoba Government, and the Canadian Citizenship Branch of the federal Department of Citizenship and Immigration in Ottawa. Meadmore became part of the Planning Committee that led to the creation of the Indian and Métis Friendship Centre in 1958, located on 376 Donald Street, Winnipeg. Meadmore became the first Aboriginal President of the Board of Directors in 1968 after serving as a Board member for 10 years.The National Indian Council was formed in 1954 and it became the official organization for both status and non-status Indians in 1961. Meadmore helped organize the conference of the National Indian Council, held in Winnipeg in 1961. The National Indian Council was dissolved in 1968 and replaced with two new national organizations: National Indian Brotherhood and National Métis Union in 1969 and 1970, respectively. The National Indian Brotherhood later became the Assembly of First Nations with Meadmore as the commissioner. The function of the Assembly of First Nations was to represent First Nations and their citizens.

In 1970, Meadmore helped create Kinew Housing, the first non-profit company established under the provisions of the Manitoba Companies Act. Kinew Housing purchased old homes throughout Winnipeg to provide housing for individuals of Aboriginal ancestry to ease the transition of living from rural to urban areas.

Meadmore was the sole founder of Arrowfax Canada Inc. on November 1988. The main purpose of Arrowfax was to create a Native American Directory to create a network of all the Aboriginal people of North, Central and South America. The network was designed to create a bigger market for Aboriginal products and services. Arrowfax was later dissolved on 2004.

Meadmore married Winnipeg Blue Bombers lineman Ron Meadmore and raised three boys. She left Kinew Housing to attend the University of Manitoba Law School. Meadmore became the first Indigenous lawyer in Canada when she graduated in from the University of Manitoba in 1977. After law school, Meadmore opened the first all-female law firm in Winnipeg and practiced law for 10 years. Meadmore received numerous awards for her contributions to society. She was presented with the Order of Canada in 1984, the Golden Jubilee Medal, and the Diamond Jubilee Medal. She also received the Distinguished Alumni Award, Lifetime Achievement awarded by the University of Manitoba in 2015.

Historique de la conservation

Fonds received from Marion Meadmore in 2013.

Portée et contenu

The fonds primarily consists of reports, minutes, notes, letters, and finances in relation to the numerous organizations Meadmore was involved with. While the majority of the records were created in Winnipeg, the series ‘Assembly of First Nations’ contains records created throughout Canada. The fonds also includes photographs of an event organized by Kinew Housing Incorporated, “Let`s Rap About A.I.D.S.: Putting the Puzzle Together” board game, and two VHS.

The fonds is divided into sixteen series: Arrowfax Canada Inc.; Kinew Housing Incorporated; Winnipeg Native Club; The Assembly of First Nations; Indian and Métis Friendship Centre; National Indian Brotherhood; Pacemakers’ Courts; Federation of Saskatchewan Indians; Research Materials; Workshops and Conferences; Newspaper Clippings; Photographs; Moving Images; Board Game; Books. The Assembly of First Nations series is further divided into four subseries: Restructure and Renewal Reports; Renewal Commission Hearing Transcripts; Renewal Commission Focus Group; and Other.

Zone des notes

État de conservation

Source immédiate d'acquisition

Classement

Meadmore has stated that the records for the Assembly of First Nations were not arranged in any particular order. The archivist has arranged the Assembly of First Nations records into four subseries.The materials under the series ‘Books’ are located in the Rare Book Room at Archives & Special Collections.

Instruments de recherche

Instrument de recherche

Éléments associés

Éléments associés

Accroissements

No further accruals are expected.

Note générale

The records destroyed contained private information of individuals. Records from Box 1, Folder 20 and 21 containing information about tenants and tenant visits of Kinew Housing Inc. were destroyed. A record from Box 4, Folder 14 containing information of a University of Manitoba award voucher was destroyed.

Several rare books were included as part of the donation. A listing of these titles are found in the Donor File. Please contact an archival staff for a listing.